Modern software development is evolving away from the client-server model toward network-based processing systems that provide access to data and services via the Internet or other networks. In contrast to traditional systems that host networked applications on dedicated server hardware, a “cloud” or “on demand” computing model allows applications to be provided over the network “as a service” supplied by an infrastructure provider. The infrastructure provider typically abstracts the underlying hardware and other resources used to deliver a customer-developed application so that the customer no longer needs to operate and support dedicated server hardware. The cloud computing model can often provide substantial cost savings to the customer over the life of the application because the customer no longer needs to provide dedicated network infrastructure, electrical and temperature controls, physical security and other logistics in support of dedicated server hardware.
The cloud computing model can be used to develop the applications that are made available for use as a service. The applications may be built using metadata constructs provided by a particular platform. Platform developers and/or application developers may develop the metadata constructs to describe data and/or a format of data.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods and products for validating the metadata. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide methods and products for validating the metadata before runtime of the application. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.